New York City Subway Accidents

A recent New York Times article indicated that while the subway operator’s union is advising its member workers to “drastically reduce their trains speeds,” The Metropolitan Transportation Authority has officially stated that any change in train speed would be a “violation of work rules.”

While the union’s effort to reduce train speeds is in an attempt to avoid subway accidents as well as the effects these accidents have on works – emotionally and financially, The MTA’s position is that slower trains, would mean, less trains, more crowded trains and thereby a potential increase in New York City train accidents. The MTA is being criticized for what Transportation Union Workers president John Samuelson calls putting rider safety as a second priority. The MTA is currently exploring what they consider to be more effective proposals to increase train platform safety, according to spokesman Charles Seaton. The New York Times article states that in 2012, 55 died after being hit by trains. Many were suicides.